Once again leaving it to the underground to produce one of the most overlooked contributors to the genre (how Cellador got signed to Metal Blade, I'll never know) Morifade's first full length collection of victorious Power Metal hymns was largely ignored back in 1999, and it's probably never been looked up since. A mighty, mighty travesty this is. So reverse it my friends; track down a copy, take it to your local metal bar, and shove it down the throat of anyone sporting a DragonForce shirt before it's too late. It's been nearly ten years since this was released, and I wouldn't be surprised if it became extinct in another couple.

While not perfect, Possession of Power is an album of fantastic Power Metal that has one foot stuck in the Helloween cast of old and the other in a pool of structural innovation. Even as far back as this you could see where the band were going - their complex but memorable style became Power Metal perfection by the time they had released their futuristic magnum opus Domi<?gt;Nation a few years ago - but the jump in quality from their Across the Starlit Sky demo to this was astronomical, due in no small measure to the addition of distinctive vocalist Stefan Petersson. His chirpy voice alone is enough to distinguish Morifade from any number of Swedish facsimiles, but another factor of their exception is the band's knack for songwriting. Not only are these epic tales of high fantasy, but also well structured compositions, layered with various harmonious elements, and are utterly unforgettable. Also unique compared to many albums of the time, the first half of this album is absolutely flawless. If you like your Power Metal catchy, melodic, and fast as hell, you'll be in the throes of orgasm by the time "Dragonlord", "Cast A Spell", "Ending of Time" and "The Signs" are through. These are by far some of the best Power Metal songs available in the genre, and worth every penny you'll spend hunting them down.

While the second half of the album plays a little too much on the conventions of what has gone before, Possession of Power still remains a feat of musical engineering — even if "To Live Forever" has the most annoyingly cheerful chorus of all time — and despite the huge progression the band made with their Imaginarium follow up, this slice of keyboard-drenched, choir-led, vibrato-wailing tempest of Power Metal majesty remains an underground treat that just shows how much beauty can be found beneath the commercial slush pile.